Assessment Methods to Predict Future Water Main Breaks

摘要

Approximately 850 water main breaks occur every day. These breaks cause millions of dollars of damage and have a detrimental impact on distribution systems, roadways, and water customers. This paper will address the main causes of water main leaks and breaks and how water systems can proactively pinpoint the next potential break before it happens. In addition, three levels of pipe analysis will be examined: a high-level view of water systems using the IWARP tool to predict the number of water main breaks; a bottom up approach that looks at individual pipes by reviewing data collected on New England pipes over the last seven years including information on material, size, age, and break history; and pipe crushing actual samples obtained in the field. This paper will review the data collected and the results of crushing over 200 samples of pipe collected in New England.